AP seeks Centre to share its profits earned in offshore drilling

Published: Thursday, June 26, 2008, 21:35 [IST]

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New Delhi, Jun 26 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh today urged the Centre to share part of profits earned in the offshore drilling in the waters of the state as it would not get any revenue from the offshore drilling near the Krishna-Godavari basin.

A request to this effect was made to Petroleum Minister Murli Deora when Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy met him. "I explained that how the state would not get any revenue because it was in the seas while the state was getting Rs 516 crore as royalty from the onshore drillings," Dr Reddy told reporters.

Mr Deora, however, did not make any commitment as it was a policy matter but assured the state that his Ministry would consider the proposal with all seriousness.

The Petroleum Minister did not give an assurance regarding the increasing of Kerosene quota but agreed to meet half of the 15 lakh gas connections.

Dr Reddy said that the ONGC was quitting from the Kakinada Refinary project and passing on its shares to GMR, a private player.

The ONGC was burdened with its own activities and wanted to part its shares, he said.

Since its shares are being transferred to the new partner, there was no need for any fresh Memorandum of Understanding, he said.

The state, he said had sought the seteing up of NTR Aviation University in Begumpet Airport in his meeting with Dr. Singh.

He had urged the Centre to provide 50,000 tonnes of DAP and Complex fertilisers to farmers of the state and increa the Minimum Support Price for rice production.

The Congress president will be visiting Prakasham and Nellur districts on July 17 and and agreed to inagurate the IIIT campus in August. The Prime Minister had been invited to address a Kisan rally next month. The dates are yet to be worked out, he said. UNI MCN AB UCS2047